With the progress in the field of medicine, the demand for nurses has increased significantly. The nurses act as intermediaries between the doctor and patient. They are the heart of the health care system.

Types of Nurses

• Registered nurse: registered nurses are the backbone of health care providers in the United States. They provide health care to people wherever it is essential.

• Advanced practice registered nurse: APRN holds at least a master’s degree along with the license.

• Licensed practical nurse: they work under the guidance of a registered nurse or MD.

Importance of nursing

• It is one of the most emotional jobs which is always underappreciated and requires a lot of strength.

• Nursing asks for a willingness to work with grace and kindness.

• Nursing requires a little bit of knowledge of everything from oncology to Gynaecology.

Types of nursing care plans

Nursing Care plans can be informal or formal.

An informal nursing care plan is a strategy of action that exists in the nurse’s mind.

A formal nursing care plan is a written or computerized guide that organizes information about the client’s care.

Formal care plans are further subdivided into a standardized care plan and individualized care plan.

Standardized care plans specify nursing care for groups of clients with everyday needs.

Individualized care plans are tailored to meet the unique needs of a specific client or needs that are not addressed by the standardized care plan.

Step By Step Nursing Care Plan

Nursing plans can vary according to the workplace. In most cases, however, you can expect that they will include the same relevant information: the diagnoses, the anticipated outcome, nursing orders, and evaluation.

Diagnosis

According to the North American Nursing Diagnosis Organization-International (NANDA-I), nursing diagnoses compile a list of health problems or conditions that the patient is facing. This information helps to determine the appropriate care and treatment that the patient needs.

To make a diagnosis, a thorough assessment of the patient must be taken. According to the American Nurses Association, the assessment should include physiological, psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, and economic data, as well as other lifestyle patterns.

In addition to just listing the diagnoses, a good nursing care plan will also define them so there is no confusion moving forward. Get help about nursing on Homework Minutes.

Outcome

After performing a patient’s assessment, the diagnosis is made. The next step is to map out goals for the patient, for both the short- and long-term. For instance, if a patient is diagnosed with acute pain from hypertension, the desired outcome might be that the patient begins with a new prescription and the pain is controlled.

Interventions

This is the step of the nursing care plan where all the action is taken. Based on the diagnosis and the desired outcome, here, nurses will have a checklist of how to take care of the patient. It also includes things like checking vital signs every few hours, assesses the patient by asking pain scale questions, provides medication, etc. Expect to include a lot of specifics here, including times, dosages, etc.

This part of the nursing care plan will be adjusted accordingly as the patient’s condition improves or changes in any way. All care is carefully documented in the patient’s health record and is used to determine if the patient can be discharged.

Evaluation

Throughout the patient’s stay, their condition will be monitored and evaluated so that the plan can be updated as necessary. As progress is made towards the patient’s goal, the evaluation is used to determine if the plan needs to be changed, or is complete.